This invention relates to new kits for use by landscapers and others. More particularly, the kit components can, i.e., be attached to the exterior risers of existing or new xe2x80x9cpop-upxe2x80x9d or other sprinkler units having exterior threads at their upper ends. The kits are particularly useful for extending the height of sprinkler heads used with growing shrubbery.
It is well known that irrigation system sprinkler heads must be adjusted to a position above the height of the nearest plants if more remote plants are to receive adequate irrigation. A variety of approaches have been taken to the solution of the problem of quickly and cheaply adjusting the height of the sprinkler heads. The following references indicate the general approaches taken to the solution of this problem.
J. D. Byles, U.S. Pat. No. 5,716,004, teaches a system having a conduit housing from which conduits (tubing) extend outwardly at near ground levels to irrigate all or portions of the nearby shrubs.
H. K. Rader, U.S. Pat. No. 1,833,040, J. C. Cole, U.S. Pat. No. 4,099.670; and K. Hanaoka, U.S. Pat. No. 5,141,255 each teach equipment where inner risers are slid or screwed upwardly and locked in place to position the sprinkler head at a desired height.
W. R. Marshall, U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,501 utilizes a telescoping riser system.
G. S. Dyck, U.S. Pat. No. 3,776,463 teaches a coupled riser system.
Some of these systems contain male/female couplers or spacers.
Landscapers do not like to dig up xe2x80x9cpop-upxe2x80x9d sprinkler or equivalent units which are embedded in the soil and, sometimes, the thatch above the soil. The present invention allows the landscaper to remove or leave the external riser of the embedded sprinkler in place as desired. Preferably, the kits of this invention allow the landscaper to remove the pop up inner riser, spring, etc., and merely screw the connector onto the in situ external riser.
The invention is in the form of kits. The kits include at least one female/female reducing connector attachable via a narrow screw or other xe2x80x9cthread setxe2x80x9d to a fixture, pipe or irrigation device and another thread set which is connectable to an irrigation lateral directly or through a fixture. The kits can include a variety of packaged fixtures and pipe lengths as well as other sprinkler system components and displays of non-packaged single or multiple components. Preferably, the connector is a female/female reducing connector sized at one end to connect to the top of an external riser of a pop-up sprinkler unit with a wide cylinder and a narrow cylinder in the same horizontal plane. Various fixtures can be included within the kits as well as other sprinkler system components.